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Industrial Studies program to grant $14,750 in scholarships

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Eleven University of Wisconsin-Platteville industrial studies students will be awarded a total of $14,750 in scholarships at the department’s awards night Tuesday, April 23. Among the highest honors of the night will be the Tom Flatley award, presented in honor of the UW-Platteville graduate who was killed in a car accident two years ago.

“Tom was a very involved student,” said Dr. Kyle Metzloff, professor of industrial studies at UW-Platteville. “He was part of the American Foundry Society and the Society of Automotive Engineers, among other organizations. He loved cars and automobiles.”

“The $500 scholarship will be awarded to the student who most personifies Flatley,” said Metzloff.

“Other scholarships will be granted to students who will be leaders in the industry”, said Metzloff. “They’re active in AFS, they help in lab, they work on projects outside of class. They’re the students who some nights don’t leave the lab until two in the morning.”

Scholarship funds have been donated by the Foundry Educational Foundation. The FEF promotes the field of metal casting among students and helps place graduates in the field. “They recently held a conference in Chicago,” said Metzloff. “They invited about 25 different schools, five or six students each, and every student got a job.”

An open house will be held at 3:30 p.m. before the ceremony, during which the industrial studies department will get the chance to exhibit its new permanent mold machine. The machine makes aluminum castings, and is only one of two in the United States. The exhibition is open to all UW-Platteville students.

“Platteville is one of few schools in the nation that balance theory and experience in our industrial studies program,” said Metzloff. “We teach 50 percent lab and 50 percent lecture. This gives students equal parts hands-on experience and knowledge of theory.”

Metzloff encourages students to become involved in extracurricular activities within their discipline. “Involvement in clubs can supplement your classroom learning incredibly,” he said. “It gives you many scholarship opportunities, and can set you up for a great career within your field.”

Metzloff rejects the notion that American industry is waning. “Manufacturing is alive and well in the United States, regardless of what you hear,” he said. “Jobs have been lost to automation with robots. What our program teaches is how to program the robot. Manufacturing workers are retiring faster than schools can replace them. I get calls every day asking if students are looking for jobs.”

If any UW-Platteville students have considered industrial studies, Metzloff recommends they at least check it out. “I had one student who was hooked the first time she saw molten steel,” he said. “If anyone is interested, they should come talk to me.”